Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al-'amarah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al-'amarah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $681 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,090 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,499 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 52% more than Al-'amarah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Al-'amarah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Al-'amarah 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.95 IQD 5,175

49.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$24.93 IQD 32.7K

31.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.95 IQD 9,106

3.60%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.57 IQD 3,369

-33.85%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.37 IQD 481

197.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.19 IQD 250

278.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.87 IQD 3,756

-41.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.81 IQD 3,678

10.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.86 IQD 2,442

-43.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.75 IQD 979

66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.09 IQD 1,427

27.52%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.50 IQD 1,963

50.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$4.41 IQD 5,774

-1.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.69 IQD 6,150

24.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$13.07 IQD 17.1K

-32.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.86 IQD 1,122

160.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.08 IQD 1,415

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.89 IQD 1,168

71.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.39 IQD 517

251.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.74 IQD 971

52.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.34 IQD 450

229.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.62 IQD 817

37.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.47 IQD 618

93.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.85 IQD 2,430

25.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.82 IQD 2,385

-34.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.10 IQD 2,752

12.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.37 IQD 479

113.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$30.84 IQD 40.4K

33.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.69 IQD 2,214

-14.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.55 IQD 2,025

23.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.16 IQD 8,067

30.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.33 IQD 434

184.85%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.3K IQD 25.2M

-6.96%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

33.85%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$78.3 IQD 102.6K

7.24%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$17.40 IQD 22.8K

-44.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$34.87 IQD 45.7K

-30.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$22.48 IQD 29.4K

15.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$16.71 IQD 21.9K

13.94%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$7.68 IQD 10.1K

-48.96%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$306 COP 1.1M

$150 IQD 196.3K

104.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,269 IQD 4.3M

81.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$26.78 IQD 35.1K

116.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$25.37 IQD 33.2K

25.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$61.7 IQD 80.8K

62.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$40.93 IQD 53.6K

161.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$320 IQD 419.8K

51.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$130 IQD 170.2K

183.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$446 IQD 584.3K

85.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$343 IQD 449.7K

108.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$574 IQD 752.3K

409.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$505 IQD 661.2K

8.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.67

136.86%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Al-'amarah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $320 in Al-'amarah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 8% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Al-'amarah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $153 – making Al-'amarah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Al-'amarah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 52%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,022 in Al-'amarah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al-'amarah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $25.00 in Al-'amarah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-'amarah, where all-in costs run around $681, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Al-'amarah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-'amarah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Al-'amarah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.